The Lace in Your Dress Tangles My Neck
by Brannasaurus Rex
Summary: "I really freaking love you, Natsu Dragneel. You're making it hard to do anything else but just that." NALU AU One-shot Rated M for Language and Lemony Goodness.


Two months had passed. Approximately 67 days, 13 hours and 43 minutes had passed. He was still counting. At least the man next to him was.

The air was a permeated aroma of liquor, smoke, sweat and a hint of piss. The confused mix of scent tickled his nostrils and made him gag. The low lights prevented anyone from seeing far, shielding individuals from his sight. He could detect though, in spite of the dim setting, not many people were left among the bar, many stragglers already slipping towards the exit. He oh so desperately wanted to be one of those people, but he silently watched instead, as hopes for escape slowly decreased. How many times has he been here these last two months?

If it werent it for the man beside him, he sure as hell wouldnt be here. Gray Fullibuster didnt really have a think for getting wasted, but apperently his friend did. I mean, it's already fucking dandy your best friend has been a sobbing mess for however many days, and wont shut up about it, but the cherry right on top of his sundae was the fact that he was sitting at a bar sober at 3AM in the goddamn morning sipping on stale water.

He could handle Natsu better when said person wasnt drunk, or sad, or when it wasnt goddamn 3AM. Gray doesnt know what he had recently done to deserve such punishment, but he hates himself for it.

The man beside him was still asking for more. Every second his glass became empty, he'd practically shout at the bartender for more. The woman wouldnt have served him hadnt Gray used his charms to persuade the female, which he found wasnt very hard to do. Occasionally she'd send a not-so-subtle glance his direction and smile at him like he was the sun himself.

Natsu Dragneel really liked to be drunk. It was like all of his inhibitions flew out the window on a flying blue cat. It made everything slow, including his thoughts, which he prefered most to be rid of. This was a battle between him and his overactive brain, and he wasnt winning. He absolutely hates losing.

During each break between drinks, he'd glance at the clock. It was a steady game he liked to play, he counts the minutes since the incident. He counts the minutes since the greatest thing to ever happen to him, walked away. Which is why he kept losing, and is also why he keeps asking for more alcohol; because maybe that damn clock will dissappear, or maybe time will stop entirely, because he cant take another fucking minute of it.

He sucks in a deep breath, which bursts his lungs into a cacophony fit of hiccups. A faint trail of wetness trails from his eyelid. A sniffle escapes his nose, his sleeve wipping away excess snot. He can't tell if it's from the burning alcohol or the situation itself, because both were pretty painful at the moment. "You're gonna pass out with all that alcohol, Flame Brain."

Oh what did he care? He'd rather like that.

Like instinct, his hand curled into a fist and swung at his friend's face. It wasnt a killing hit, but it sure as hell wasnt a friendly one. When Gray's head finally came back like whiplash, a trickle of blood swam from his nose; he could already feel the nasty bruise forming on his face. Well if Gray was pissed earlier, he was angry now. It wasnt a simple angry feeling, it was a desire to fucking kill the man next to him. "What was that for, ashhole?"

The pink-haired man rubbed his knuckles. The alcohol buzzing in his system did little to numb the pain spiking in his fingers. "I hope you broke your hand, you fucking arsonist!"

For fear of slurring his words, or perhaps having absolutely no reason at all, the pink-haired man didn't say anything and ignored him.

The raven-haired man ripped away his shirt, his weird stripping habits grabbing the attention of everyone in the room(especially the cute bartender) but himself. The pink-haired man laughed, sloshing the liquid in his glass around, spilling the contents on the floor. He was completely unaware of the mess, which he would no doubtedly regret later. "Put your clothes back on, stripper."

The black-haired man cursed, scrambling for his clothes. The pink-haired man roared with laughter, making the person at the bar next to him give a look, and slide further away. "You're drunk Natsu, you need to fucking get a hold of yourself."

The man named Natsu ignored the suggestion, already calling out to the bartender for another shot of bourbon. "Damn it man, I can't handle your shit right now. Get over it, it's been two months already, move on."

Gray watched as Natsu swallowed another. Natsu slammed the shot glass hard against the wooden bar. If Natsu wasn't so drunk, the look he had given Gray would've terrified the shit out of him. Instead, the man laughed.

"Don't laugh, Ice tits."

"Watch it, Flame for Brains."

The two men stared each other down, Natsu's grip on the glass tightening, crumbling it into dust, adding more to Gray's bill. Dammit, why did he offer to pay for the drunkard in the first place? The tension in the air was so thick, you could cut through it with a knife. Or a word.

"Gay."

Both men shrieked simultaneously.

"WE'RE NOT GAY!"

Gray rubbed the back of his head in frustration. "Whatever man, you get your own ride home, I'm outta here."

Natsu watched as Gray left the building, flicking him off before walking out the door. Leaving his shirt behind, again.

How the hell was he supposed to get home now?

He might as well have started walking, but the clock in the corner reminded him he wouldn't make it for work tomorrow by walking. He forgot about work. He cursed under his breath and downed another, wincing as the liquid burned his throat, all the way to his stomach.

He hadn't planned this. Hell he didn't even want this. He wanted to be in bed, asleep in a pair of arms, warm. But two months ago, he received a wake up call, and boxes outside of his door. All of his belongs he left behind at her place reminded him that it was over. The best thing he ever had, ripped from his grasp without a moment's notice.

She was done with him. He sure as hell wasn't done with her.

Even while he was sober, he couldn't remember ever doing something to make her break it off with him. He never mistreated her, never hurt her. One day they were going to have a future, the next, his future wasn't intertwined with hers anymore.

It hurt like a slap to the face, or a punch in the gut. It stung and made him a desperate man. Everyone else could see it, this man was whipped.

No matter how many times he pushed her out of his head, she was still there.

In the clothes he wore, in his house, at his work, underneath his hands, in his arms, around his neck and most of all, in his heart.

She resided there as if it was her home, and she belonged there all along.

He remembered her blonde hair and chocolate eyes. He remembered the curve of her hips and how his hands fit there, and were a match to his own. He knew the way her long legs looked like in anything. He knew how to kiss her lips in just the right way to make her want more. He knew how to tease her, even after the whole time they'd been together.

The way she hummed as she cooked and sang in the shower, the way she would pout, whine, cry and laugh, he envisioned it all. He loved the way she held him, and the way she smiled for him. He still could smell her strawberry shampoo and her vanilla perfume. He remembered her touch and how it felt on every part of his body. He remembered her warmth and the way her body reacted to his.

Every day his brain brought back memories of her reading to him, concentrating on the words, biting her lips and furrowing her brow. He remembered her anger, her jealousy, her happiness, her sadness, her wants, her needs, her love and her everything. There was nothing Natsu Dragneel did not know about the love of his life, Lucy Heartfilia.

But he lost her.

His head hurt. It almost burned. He pulled out his cell, figuring it was time to get home. He scrolled down his contact list, subconsciously scrolled down to _L,_ in hopes Lucy Heartfilia was still there.

Sadly it wasn't, previously in his anger he had deleted her number.

He cursed loudly, making a couple at the bar jump. They were in a very suspicious hold, lips almost locked. Both blushed as they realized what had happened, and sipped at their drinks in silence, trying to avoid each other's eyes. Natsu frowned at them. Who the fuck is still on a date at fricken 3 in the morning and not banging in a car or something? They must be virgins.

He went to his dial screen, staring at the numbers as if remembering something.

Of course he remembered, the number was branded into his eyelids.

He punched it, waiting for the ringing to stop.

He almost expected no one to answer, but was surprised when a female's voice, a little weak from just waking up, answer.

" _Hello?"_

His heart sped up, her voice making him want to leap off a cliff into death if she ever asked. Which at this point, she probably would.

He wished she would.

"Hey, it's me."

The woman groaned.

" _How the hell do you think I'd know who 'me' is? Who is this, and why the fuck are you calling me when it's almost four in the goddamn morning?"_

His heart tightened. He remembered the many times her voice sounded this way when they were in bed, wrapped around each other.

Mavis, Lucy was something.

"It's Natsu."

The woman sucked in a breath on the opposite line.

"Wait. Before you hang up, I need your help."

The woman growled.

" _Why in the world would I help you Natsu? We're not together anymore, find another girl to help you out."_

The man whispered.

"I can't. There's no other girl."

The woman sighed. Natsu was imagining her sitting up on the bed, switching her lamp on.

" _What about Gray?"_

"He left me."

She huffed in response.

" _You probably almost had a fight with him, didn't you?"_

This woman knew him well.

"Look Lucy, I'm sorry. I know it's almost 4 AM and you were sleeping, but Gray left me here in this dingy bar. I can't walk home because I would be late for work tomorrow. I didn't want to wake anyone up so I dialed your number. I mean, I know I'm an idiot, but I still remember your number after a couple shots of bourbon, so I'm not that stupid. Plus I really wanna see you right now."

The voice on the other end groaned.

" _You didn't want to wake anyone else up, but it's okay to wake me up, even though we haven't spoken in two months?"_

Natsu was silent for a moment, testing the weight of his words.

"Actually it's been 67 days, 14 hours and 3 minutes since we haven't spoken."

 _"Shut the fuck up."_

"Aye aye Captain."

 _"Fuck you."_

"I was thinking about you, and I really miss you, and-"

She cut him off.

" _Sounds like more than a 'couple' shots of bourbon to me."_

She growled.

" _Fine. Where are you?"_

"The bar."

Through the phone, he could hear her palm hit her forehead.

" _I know that idiot, just tell me where, exactly?"_

"The bar right next to Burger King and Seven Eleven. The one named Love and Lucky or something."

" _I'll be there in ten."_

Natsu jumped as the dial rang when she hung up on him.

He shoved the phone back in his pocket and called the bartender for another shot. He would need it in order to face her.

* * *

Lucy didn't know what the hell she was doing. Answering his call this early, and actually going to help him. It wasn't like she hated him, but she didn't want to see him.

She hurt him enough as it was.

When she pulled up at the curb to 'Love and Lucky' she couldn't help sigh as she noticed Natsu was not waiting outside for her as she hoped.

She put the car into park and took the key out of the ignition. She leaned forward, pressing her head between her hands. She counted her 's just Natsu. He's drunk. All you have to do is drive him home and leave. No unnecessary touches.

That was harder then she would ever admit to.

When she walked in, she expected a wild, crazed Natsu. Instead she watched as he slumped over the bar, his hair a mess, and his eyes downcast. He wasn't party drunk, he was forgetting drunk. She prayed to Mavis, he wouldn't notice how it affected her.

It broke her heart. Even more than it did his.

He must've caught her scent. He always had a strong sense of smell. He looked at her as she stood, barely five steps into the door. Her heart leapt as his gaze found hers, and she found herself wanting him to never look away.

Too long had it been since she had last seen his eyes on her face, or his hands on her skin. She wanted it badly.

His face changed as she approached. A lost, broken man turned into a happy, thriving man who felt as if he had everything. But he didn't, and he was fooling himself. His voice quivered. "Lucy."

The way his voice dropped, and the way he almost sighed her name made her want to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his lips. "Natsu."

They stood beside each other, looking into each other's eyes. Neither really willing to look away. He was filling his brain with the image of her.

Natsu was the one to finally tear his gaze away.

He put down a couple dollars down on the bar and tried to walk. He slipped on the alcohol he previously spilled on the floor, landing ungraciously on his face. Lucy covered her mouth with her hand, barely stifling a giggle. He tried to pull himself off the floor, he was too drunk to make much progress.

Lucy wrapped his arm around her shoulder, leaning all of his weight on her. She felt something like electricity shoot through her body as she touched him.

Half dragging, half carrying him, she finally managed to get him into the passenger's seat of her car. She wanted to put him down quickly, the smell of him clouded her senses, almost destroying all proper judgement. He was like a fire. Smoke and ash, and a hint of alcohol. It was sexy, and she couldn't help but reach over and stroke bangs from his eyes a little bit.

Everything was as she remembered, no matter how much she tried to forget it.

She slammed his door.

She didn't need directions to know where she was going, the destination was almost second nature to her. She'd driven down the same streets over and over again until her home was practically forgotten.

She watched as Natsu drifted in and out of sleep the whole ride.

She tried not to touch him, but Mavis it was hard. She watched the lines on his forehead crumple, and his chest rise and fall as he breathed. She could feel his warmth even though she wasn't touching him, and she felt comfortable.

She scowled.

How hard is it really, to get over this guy. He was just another guy she'd met and fallen in love with. Sure there were plenty of them to go around. But this guy, she'd been with the longest. She knew everything about him and hated it. She hated him, and she loved him.

There's a fine line between love and hate.

Pulling into his driveway, she steeled herself again. "Don't touch him Lucy." She repeated it over and over, as if it were her personal mantra.

She finally poked him. "Hey."

He jumped at her touch, as if she had hurt him. "Get out."

He looked at her quizzically before she pointed at his house. She was telling him to leave, and he would probably never see her again. Why the hell did he have to sleep through the ride? There was so much he wanted to say. She wasn't looking at him.

He tried his best to escape the car where her smell almost made him drool, but he didn't get far. His body slapped the pavement, blood poring out of a new cut on his forehead. Lucy sighed.

He was such an idiotic dumbass, she wondered how the hell she dated him.

She locked her car and picked his body off the ground the second time. She pulled his body up the stairs. He was passed out, the fall most likely knocked him out cold.

She didn't want to search through his pants pocket, so instead she pulled out the spare key he'd given her long ago. She never returned it. She figured things like this happening, were in the realm of possibilities.

Upon entering, she dragged his body to his couch and threw him down. She took a look at her surroundings and almost gagged. It was a mess. Food strewn across the room, dirty clothes lay haphazardly everywhere, and trash and dirt and filth covered the whole place.

Two months. Two fucking months away and his house was already the shit pile it was before she ever got to it. It took her awhile to find the first aid because of the mess.

When she came back he blinked and looked at her through hazy eyes. "Lucy?"

She sat him up, propping his head on a pillow. "Shut up, you'll bleed harder."

He obeyed, making a comical effort to keep his mouth shut. She pressed a wet rag to his forehead and he winced.

He watched as she performed first aid on his fresh head wound, getting a good view of her breasts. The curve of the soft flesh set his heart on edge. The way her breathing squeezed the mounds slightly made his mouth water. He felt like a dog with all the drooling he'd been doing recently.

Mavis, they were amazing, and he wanted to hold them. He wanted to feel their familiar weight in his hands. His pants suddenly tightened at the thought.

This was not the time to be thinking about that now.

Her scent was driving him insane. He wanted to nestle his head in the vally of her breasts and breath her in.

He closed his eyes and gulped. He counted the seconds that passed as a distraction. "Natsu?"

He finally opened his eyes. Lucy was finished, her fingers slightly pink from his blood, like his hair. "I've got to get this shirt off you. There's a lot of blood on it."

He looked down to see her hands already positioned at the edge of his shirt, way too close to his pelvis for comfort. He was getting really mixed signals. When she finally pulled it over his big head, she stopped to stare at his chest.

Lucy couldn't help feeling the urge to stroke the contours of the muscle she knew so well. Each line carved into his skin as if he were marble. She watched as the rise and fall of his chest made the skin stretch taunt over his body. She could vaguely see the V all girls swooned over. She couldn't hold back her arm as she stroked down his torso. The simple action sent a raging fire through her veins, her body melting with it. He was shaped like a Greek God, and she was his Goddess.

Natsu sucked in a breath and caught her wrist.

Realizing what she had just done she looked up to meet his gaze.

His eyes were hazed but had a predatorial edge to them. A familiar look she had seen on his face. It made her lower abdomen burn. He whispered her name.

He captured her lips with his own.

At first Lucy was shocked, but found herself pushing him back.

His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap, a shocked Lucy blushed at the sudden movement. Her legs straddled his pelvis, his hips grinding upwards to hit her most sensitive area. His warm hands delved into her shorts and grasped onto her ass, giving it a painful squeeze. This was not originally her plan. She had not calculated dry humping on the couch as a major priority at the moment, but her mind was lost. Perhaps from sleepiness, or being surrounded by him again.

She wrapped her fingers in his hair and kissed him harder.

Mavis, she wanted this. She missed this. Each kiss, each touch made her burn and she liked it.

Natsu quickly pulled her blouse off her body, and stared at her chest. He then pulled her bra off, letting the breasts bounce at the sudden freedom. She wanted to hide herself from his view because his stare was so intense. His mouth found a nipple and fast. He sucked on the soft mounds, making Lucy moan in pleasure.

He knew how to make her feel good. He had lots of practice.

It didnt take long for him to push her on her back, hovering his body over hers.

He kissed down her body, sometimes leaving rough bite marks, and other times softly carressing her skin with his tongue. Her body was sensitive as each movement sent her nerves aflame. When he finally reached the edge of her shorts, she practically pleaded for him to take them off, which he gladly did.

In one swift motion, he pulled them off of her body, ripping away her underwear in the process. Her lower abdomen burned, and she couldn't help curling her toes. He was so damn sexy, like she remembered.

He opened her legs, positioning himself there. Lucy could feel how close his mouth was to her entrance and she practically thrusted into his face. When his lips finally found her inner flesh, her hips bucked into his tongue.

She was so used to this. He knew just how to wiggle his tongue to make her cry out his name in pleasure. His fucking tongue was amazing, she wanted to ride it. She could tell from the look in his eyes, she wouldn't be the dominate one tonight. Or she should say, morning.

She felt the pressure in her lower abdomen become too tight and almost reach its release. He pulled away, practically smirking. This little bastard knew her well.

She hadn't noticed it, but Natsu had discarded his pants, and was now gloriously seated at her entrance.

That fucking rod was huge, and was expert at plowing through her like she was pudding in his hands. She licked her lips. "I want you to beg Lucy."

She scowled and actually whined. "Please ge inside me Natsu. I need you."

"Do you really?"

"Oh my God you fucking dick, fuck me NOW!"

That was all it took. He shoved his entire length into her in one thrust. Satisfied at the familiar intrusion they both froze for a bit.

"Still fucking tight as always."

Lucy almost came right there.

He thrust into her again, making her mew like a cat in heat.

Natsu loved that sound.

She grasped his hair, pink locks tightly woven in her fingers.

His lips found her neck as he picked up a steady rhythm and pumped himself in and out of her. Still a little drunk, his breathing was erratic. He found himself biting down onto her neck, leaving marks that wouldn't go away for awhile. He wanted to create more. Marks that screamed, ' _You're mine.'_

Their hands were intertwined, the fingers crisscrossing. His pace became uncontrollable as he flew into a frenzy. He was so close.

They both hadn't noticed the words pouring from their mouths. Screams of gutteral passion and each other's name repeated continually. It was a never-ending fire and they were burning, both being consumed in flames.

When his release came it was backbreaking. He toppled onto her as he spilled inside of her.

Their chests rose and fell at an alarming rate, sweat rolling and dripping off of them. Their bodies were locked in a tight embrace, their bodies like puzzle pieces matched for each other.

When it was calm once more, Natsu nuzzled into her hair, breathing in her scent, and Lucy wrapped her arms around his waist before they both fell asleep.

* * *

Natsu woke to the smell of bacon. He smiled and opened his eyes. The room he was in was not like he had left it. There was no mess anywhere in sight, and Natsu lost his bearings for a second.

He looked down at his body and found his pair of boxers on his waist. He didn't remember putting them on.

He did remember the amazing night he had just had, and he couldn't help whooping in excitement. What that meant for them now, was hard to comprehend. Would she leave again, or would she stay?

He had a hard time believing the latter.

He stumbled into the kitchen, his head pounding from the huge hangover he was having. The sight he saw cleared up his head soon enough.

Lucy Heartfilia, in her panties and his shirt was dancing in the kitchen to the radio. She was cooking breakfast for him like she used to. He couldn't help humming to himself in happiness.

He didn't know how things would turn out, but he was happy enough with the way it was right now. He wasn't going to ruin it.

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

She peered over her shoulder and looked at him.

"Look who's awake. It's nearly the afternoon, sleepy head."

Well there goes the good mood.

"Shit. Work."

She laughed and continued to stir the eggs.

"I took the liberty of calling you in sick for work, since I figured you wouldn't get up in time for it."

That must've been a surprise for Gray, hearing her voice. _Me too man, me too._

Where the hell had he found this girl?

Finished, she turned the stove off and made him a plate, setting the food in front of him. She smiled and turned to clean up her mess while he ate.

She was such a clean freak, he loved it.

He wolfed down his meal pretty quickly. Lucy leaned against the counter and sighed. "Listen Natsu. I'm sorry. For everything." Natsu shoved food in his mouth while listening.

"I dumped you. It wasn't because of something you did, or something even I did. I just couldn't help thinking, how bad it would be if we didn't stop. We were so strung up by each other, that if anything were to happen it would come tumbling down. I had to know if I could make it without you, and if I had to, I really can. But clearly you cant, and that hurts me."

She looked down, covering her face with her bangs.

"I tried running away from these feelings I have because I'm crazy about you. But it's impossible and I won't run anymore. I want to be with you and I'm not about to pass you up on this chance feeling that I can't do anything without you. It's not that I can't do anything without you, I'm supposed to do it with you, and I can see it now. I'm not going anywhere, and you're stuck with me."

Natsu dropped the silverware in his hand, his mouth open in shock. "I really freaking love you, Natsu Dragneel. You're making it hard to do anything else but just that."

She finally looked at him.

"Damn it Lucy, I don't care about formality and being polite, to hell with it, you're mine and you're not leaving again. I'll tie you up if I have to, I'll lock you in my basement. I want you and I need you. Isn't that enough? It is for me.

"Should I scream it atop a building, should I tattoo it on my butt? Should I tell every living soul how much I love you? Do I have to climb Mount Everest or jump off a cliff to show you? Didn't you know Lucy, we were supposed to do it all together? That's why fate put us together. The moon and the stars and the planets could align right now, and they'd know we'd be meant for each other.

"I fucking love you Lucy. Always have, always will. It's as simple as that."

Lucy cried in her hands. "Could you ever forgive me for doing that to you?"

He laughed. "Why wouldn't I? I never held anything against you from the start."

She smiled weakly, a stray tearing rolling down her cheek. "Damn it Lucy, I want to kiss you."

She smiled and chuckled at him. "Get over here Dragon Boy."

He did just that.

Her heart swelled.

Yeah, she wasn't leaving for a _really_ long time.

* * *

 **I love this ship.**

 **This has been edited...hehehe**

 **Review, favorite, follow.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


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